Stags, auctioneers at Tavistock Livestock Centre, report an excellent entry forward of both cattle and sheep at their recent November Fair Sale.

Trade was very strong from start to finish for both the cattle and the sheep, with the suckled calves and store lambs meeting the best demand.

The sale began with the cattle where prices topped at £1100 twice; firstly for an 18mo South Devon steer from Messrs WH & M Tucker & Son of Brentor and secondly for an 18mo Charolais cross steer from Messrs BJ & L Landick of Sampford Spiney. The same two vendors topped the heifers also with Messrs WH & M Tucker & Son selling three 18mo South Devon heifers to £955 and Messrs BJ & L Landick selling a 22mo Charolais cross heifer to £950.

Other notable store cattle prices included £1000 for a pair of 15mo Saler cross steers from Messrs Torr Farm Partnership of Buckland Monachorum; £985 for 2 25mo Galloway steers from Mr Tom Roskilly of Tavistock; £945 for 2 25mo South Devon heifers from Mr E Dodd of Peter Tavy; £980 for a 26mo Aberdeen Angus steer from Messrs SA & NS Mudge of Peter Tavy; £950 for a 20mo Limousin cross steer from Mr J Cossens of Peter Tavy; £925 for 4 17mo Welsh Black cross steers from Messrs DH & C Legassick of Sheepstor; £925 for 4 18mo Charolais cross heifers from Mr AP Legassick of Tavistock; £920 for a 19mo Simmental cross heifer from Messrs PJ & JA Rogers of Sydenham Dameral; £845 for a pair of 18mo Beef Shorthorn cross steers from Mr R Radmore of Meavy; £865 for 4 17mo Aberdeen Angus cross steers from Messrs H & M Retallick of Islington; £905 for 2 16mo Limousin cross steers from Messrs G Abel & Sons of Peter Tavy; £830 for 6 17mo South Devon steers from Messrs G & R Cundy of Lamerton; and £805 for 2 17mo Charolais cross heifers from Messrs WA & EJ Uglow of Milton Abbot.

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The sale of suckled calves preceded the store cattle with prices topping at £860 for a 8mo Charolais steer from Messrs GTJ & AR Medland of Tavistock who also had other steer prices to £810, £790 and £785. Next best was £820 for a pen of 4 8-9mo Simmental cross steers from Mr AW Francis of Okehampton who also had top price suckled calf heifer at £770 for a pen of 6 9mo Limousin crosses.

Other notable prices included £730 for a 9mo Charolais cross heifer from Messrs J & G Nankivell of Tavistock; £725 for a pen of 5 7-8mo South Devon steers from Messrs G Abel & Son of Peter Tavy; £705 for a 8mo Charolais cross steer from Mr TF Jasper of Lewannick who also had 4 6mo Aberdeen Angus steers to £690; £685 for 4 6-7mo South Devon steers from Messrs CD, DM & SK Alford of South Zeal; £660 for 2 6-7mo Charolais cross steers from Taviton Farms Ltd of Tavistock; £650 for 3 8mo South Devon cross heifers and 3 8mo South Devon steers from Mr A Bellamy of Peter Tavy; £650 for 3 8mo South Devon steers from Mr K J Watson of Postbridge; and £640 for 7 6mo South Devon steers from Messrs A Coaker & A Geen of Princetown.

A good entry of near 800 store lambs for November Fair saw another buoyant trade on a day where many more could have been sold.

Top of the day was seen for the Bradstone Flock who sold an excellent run of 120 shorn Suffolk lambs to a top of £88 and an average of £83. Following this was new vendor Mr A Rixon of Newton Abbot achieving £81 twice for shorn Texel lambs with Mr AJ Friend of Coryton achieving the same price for shorn Dorset lambs. Regular vendor Mr AP Legassick of Tavistock sold strong Masham lambs to £79.50. New vendors Messrs DW & JK Colton of Princetown sold Mule cross lambs to a top of £76. Texel crosses for Messrs CD, DM & SK Alford of South Zeal, looking well sold at £75.50 with yet another new vendor Mr B Cantelo being rewarded with £75 for Mule cross lambs.

Grazing ewes saw a healthy trade with a small entry seeing the best to £68 for Suffolks for Messrs FG & DM Penwill of Mary Tavy with the same price achieved for Mr R Radmore of Meavy. Others to £66.50 for Cheviots from Mr KJ Watson of Postbridge. 3 breeding Rams sold to a top price of £350 for Messrs JH & JA Vanstone of Meavy.